Telemedicine for Neurotrauma in Albania: Initial Results from Case Series of 146 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Use of telemedicine for neurotrauma when performed by neurosurgeons is an innovative care option for traumatic brain injury patients, particularly in countries with limited neurosurgery expertise resources. In recent years, Albania has developed a robust telemedicine program and teleneurotrauma is the flagship of the program. We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of the first neurotrauma patients managed via telemedicine in Albania.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on all telemedicine consultations for isolated neurotrauma was performed from 2014 through 2016. Patient demographics, mechanism of injury, modes of teleneurotrauma consultation (store-and-forward vs. live video consultation), outcomes of teleconsultation (whether the patient was transferred or kept at the regional hospital), operative procedures for those transferred, length of hospital stay, and discharge status were analyzed.

RESULTS: Of the 146 teleconsultations for neurotrauma, asynchronous technology (store-and-forward) accounted for the majority of teleconsultations (84%), while the live plus store-and-forward technique was employed in 15% of cases. Median time of response to teleconsultation was 20 minutes. Sixty-six percent of patients remained at the referring hospital for further observation and did not require transfer to a trauma center. Of the patients transferred to the tertiary care, 91% were treated nonoperatively, 85% percent were discharged to home, 9% were transferred to another hospital, and 6% died in the hospital.

CONCLUSION: Telemedicine for neurotrauma, when structured appropriately and led by neurosurgeons, is a valuable service for the entire country, prevents unnecessary transfers to trauma center, and saves resources, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.